BANK GOVERNOR LAUNCHES 2013 NATIONAL CORRUPTION PERCEPTION SURVEY

News Item

The Governor of the
Bank of Sierra Leone designate, Momodu Kargbo, on Thursday 17th
July, 2014 officially launched the National Corruption Perception Survey 2013
at the Ministry of Finance Conference Hall in Freetown. The Anti-Corruption
Commission (ACC), with support from the World Bank, contracted the Centre for
Development and Security Analysis (CEDSA) to conduct the research.

Speaking at the launch,
Mr. Kargbo said the perception of people is very important in governance and in
determining the effectiveness of service delivery. He called on public officers
to inculcate the values of integrity and transparency and not to see the report
as the work of mere perceptions.

Speaking earlier, the
Chairman of the launching and Deputy Commissioner of the ACC, Shollay Davies,
described the survey as a tool to measure performance so that areas of concern
would be addressed to ensure improved and better service delivery. He said the
report should not be seen as an attempt to stigmatise or ridicule any individual or institution.

World
Bank Country Representative Francis Atto-Brown said he was happy with the
progress the ACC has been making especially in bringing to book those engaged
in acts of corruption. He said corruption is one of the main challenges to the
development of the country and therefore urged the Commission to continue with
its hard work to end impunity.

Chairman
of the ACC Advisory Board, Sheikh Abubakarr Conteh called on Sierra Leoneans to
consider corruption as a common enemy and see the fight against corruption as a
fight for all.

Commissioner
of the ACC, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, said both public and private institutions
should work to mainstream anti-corruption measures in their activities. He said
the institutions named in the survey should now go to the drawing board and find
ways to improve services in order to change the negative perceptions people
have about them. The Commissioner said the damaging effects of corruption are
wide-ranging and therefore called on Sierra Leoneans to be more nationalistic
and depoliticize the fight against corruption. Mr. Kamara expressed his resolve
to ensure that individuals acting in contravention of the anti-corruption laws
are brought to book.

Two
of the lead researchers for CEDSA, Dr Osman Gbla and Samuel J. Brima, made a
PowerPoint presentation of the findings of the survey. Some of the major
findings are that 67% of the respondents said corruption
is still a serious problem in Sierra Leone while 78% believe the lead cause of
corruption is greed and selfishness. People also perceive the police as the
most corrupt institution followed by the judiciary. The statistics also show
that the people have high confidence in the government’s commitment and the ACC’s
efforts in fighting against corruption- 80% believe the government is committed
in the fight against corruption, while 75% say the Commission is doing very well
in the fight.